Dear Friend,
I write this during the last week of parental leave. Our sweet child is 4 months old, my wife is already back to work, and I’m gearing up my brain and spirit to follow suit starting on Monday. And with my return to my work at Camp Tawonga comes my return to all things work: substacking, promoting my book (buy my book!), and tutoring the future of the Jewish people. As part of my ramp up to being fully back, I bring you a piece about our upcoming new year (yep, another one). This one is called Tu B’Shevat – the new year (or birthday) of the trees! Tu B’Shevat begins at sundown on Wednesday, January 24th and ends at nightfall on Thursday, January 25th.
Enjoy and cheers to this next stage of my family’s life!
Love, Meg
Tu B’Shevat is the new year (AKA birthday) of the trees. What started as a day for farmers to keep track of how old their trees were for tithing purposes has now become what many consider to be Jewish “Earth Day” or “Arbor Day.” Some people plant trees or parsley seeds (to sprout in time for Pesach), take part in a special seder, and eat foods native to the land of Israel, such as the seven species.
Also, did you know Tu B’Shevat is one of four days that mark a new year for the Jewish calendar? It’s true.1 Here is the passage from the Mishnah that explains all four (I’ve put it into bullet points for your convenience):
They are four days in the year that serve as the New Year, each for a different purpose:
The first of Nisan is the New Year for kings; it is from this date that the years of a king’s rule are counted. And the first of Nisan is also the New Year for the order of the Festivals, as it determines which is considered the first Festival of the year and which the last.
The first of Elul is the New Year for animal tithes; all the animals born prior to that date belong to the previous tithe year and are tithed as a single unit, whereas those born after that date belong to the next tithe year. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon say: The New Year for animal tithes is on the first of Tishrei.
The first of Tishrei is the New Year for counting years, as will be explained in the Gemara; for calculating Sabbatical Years and Jubilee Years, i.e., from the first of Tishrei there is a biblical prohibition to work the land during these years; for planting, for determining the years of orla, the three-year period from when a tree has been planted during which time its fruit is forbidden; and for tithing vegetables, as vegetables picked prior to that date cannot be tithed together with vegetables picked after that date.
The first of Shevat is the New Year for the tree; the fruit of a tree that was formed prior to that date belong to the previous tithe year and cannot be tithed together with fruit that was formed after that date; this ruling is in accordance with the statement of Beit Shammai. But Beit Hillel say: The New Year for trees is on the fifteenth of Shevat.2
In honor of Tu B’Shevat being the fourth new years day mentioned in the Mishnah, I bring you:
4 Questions for Tu B'Shevat
What is a fruit that has great significance in your life? Maybe you associate certain kinds of fruit with loved ones, special places you have traveled, or other experiences you’ve had. Maybe you have an entire story to tell about a peach! I know I do!
The Torah tells us that once we plant a tree we cannot eat of its fruit until it has reached five years of age.3 What is something you have been growing for five years?
Trees give us so much. Delicious fruit. Shade on a hot day. Oxygen. What are two (or more) very specific things or experiences that trees have given you for which you are grateful?
If you had to become a tree for one full day, what kind of tree would you want to become?
and now, enjoy this poem by the great Mary Oliver.
If you love question conversation starters, here are other lists to jump into:
For more information on these four new years, read this piece from MyJewishLearning.org
Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:1, from sefaria.org
Leviticus 19:23-25
Love this. Excited to do this reflection on Wednesday!
Beautiful. I love the Mary Oliver poem and read it out loud to my husband at breakfast!